Caprice
by foxgloves
Summary: Kagome is no stranger to magical artifacts... but this one takes the cake. DRABBLE TALE 100-300 words a piece. Fun little fic for when boredom strikes. Possibly PWP... heh.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: A little fic that has been in my head for awhile now. **And by little I do mean little. 100-300 words a piece.** It won't be my main priority as I am working on Thick as Thieves, however it can act as a pleasant little diversion. Have fun. A triple post today just to get things started.

**_Caprice_**

**I**

_And he calls himself a man of God…_

Kagome felt hot under the heavy fabric of the white haori and red hakama that swirled around her legs. She didn't particularly like assuming the garb at the best of times, however Miroku had insisted for the sake of their scam. _Ominous cloud indeed… we're ripping these people off!_

The monk was busying himself in one of corner of the room, mindlessly chucking things over his shoulder as he searched for items of value for trade. Her eye twitched. "Miroku, we really shouldn't be doing this," she reminded him.

"Nonsense, Kagome!" he replied affably. "They won't even notice that anything is gone! In fact, why don't you check in that armoire over there."

_Yeah right… _The young miko glanced at the hulking wardrobe and meandered over. At her first attempt to open it, it rattled with defiance. "Stubborn thing…" she muttered, blowing her unruly bangs out of her eyes. She gave the handles another harsh tug… perhaps too harsh because the doors were suddenly swinging open, she was stumbling back, and kimonos were being strewn everywhere. In particular, one caught her attention as she was falling through the air; light and shimmery, nearly translucent. In fact, she wasn't quite sure it was a kimono. More like a shawl, or a cape.

"Oomph!" she hit the floor, knocking the wind out of herself… and the fabric covered her.

Miroku whipped around at the commotion, halting as power swelled in the room. "Kagome?"

No one answered…

She was gone.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Caprice**_

**II**

In another time in place, murderous cheers were erupting from an enormous crowd set around a palatial fighting ring.

In the center, a girl, not exactly human announced into a microphone. "We've got the fourth match! Shishiwakamaru versus Kuwabara! And begin!"

The orange-haired man's efforts were valiant, but futile as he summoned his sword and blindly began to swing. His opponent, a violet-blue haired apparition danced circles around him with ease, quickly growing bored. Using Kuwabara's head as leverage, he vaulted over him… and it was over.

A shimmery garment floated through the air, coiling around Kuwabara… and he was suddenly gone.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: I borrowed a bit of an excerpt from Episode 48.

**_Caprice_**

**III**

Silence reigned in the arena.

"Um… what's the rule on this one? He was in the ring… but now he's not… but that cloth he was wrapped in still is…"

"He lost."

"Uh…"

"Clearly. He's not in the ring. As to where he actually is I don't know or care. You'll have to ask the Cape of No Return for such trivial details. Somewhere in this world, or maybe the next, or maybe another dimension… all I know is that he's uncomfortable."

The fight was called.

And then, power swelled. On the ground, the cape wriggled, and a head of raven hair poked out.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Thank you for the feedback so far everyone!

_**Caprice**_

**IV**

A hush fell over the crowds of apparitions ensconcing the ring as the beautiful young woman in the billowing red and white attire was unveiled from beneath the Cape of No Return.

Shishiwakamaru looked incredulous.

Juri stammered, forming no real words at the shocking turn of events.

And on the sidelines, the kitsune, Kurama, watched the whole scene unfold with fascination; observing the emotions on the girl's face evolve from confusion into wonderment as she rose and glanced around.

It was irrational… but it had to be on everybody's mind…

Had Kuwabara been transformed into a girl?


	5. Chapter 5

_**Caprice**_

**V**

Sharp claret eyes travelled to Kurama and back to the girl.

"_That," _Hiei announced to his partner, "is not the orange-haired fool we are forced to associate with."

"Yes…" Kurama agreed, but pinned the hybrid youkai with a chastising look out of principle for the friend who wasn't there to defend his pride. "I felt Kuwabara's energy completely disappear after Shishiwakamaru's last attack."

"Naturally, we could figure out that much," Hiei drawled snidely, "but this fame-crazed idiot is probably going to attack her."

That wouldn't go over well in Spirit World, even if it was a human fatality caused by the Dark Tournament. Kurama hoped Koenma would realize as much and get it dealt with for the sake of the girl… and quickly.

Just then, Koto, from across the arena and situated at her specialized booth wherein she broadcasted the tournament made an announcement. "Would you look at this, people!" she cried into her microphone, voice blaring into the stadium, "It seems Kuwabara has returned from exile via the Cape of No Return… but as a girl! And might I say that he is certainly much better looking now than he was before… or should I say she! Look at the cascading raven hair, those sparkling blue eyes, the porcelain skin! Better start lining up for a date boys!"

Kurama and Hiei shared an exasperated look. If Koto's job was to fire up to the crowd, she certainly delivered, but that girl was not Kuwabara… and this was about to blow out of proportion.


	6. Chapter 6

_**Caprice**_

**VI**

Three sets of eyes bore down on him and Kuwabara found himself at a complete, utter loss.

The most disconcerting was the one with the silver hair and amber eyes, but most curiously—

The dogs ears?

"Who the _fuck_ is this?!"

Kuwabara thought for a moment that he was going to grab him, but the dog-boy instead turned on his companions, specifically, the other young man dressed in the billowing purple robes, snatching some of the fabric and yanking aggressively until they were nose to nose.

"Miroku, what the fuck is going on?! Where's Kagome!"

"Inuyasha, please!" The only girl in the room broke her silence, moving in between them and doing her best to fight off the irate hanyou.

Kuwabara scooted away a few feet, which drew Miroku's attention. "Please don't mind Inuyasha," he cajoled, putting his hands up in a placating gesture, "but you wouldn't happen to know what happened to our friend would you?"


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: Maaaaannnnnn. I keep getting in shit from people because they want this turned into a 'proper fic'. I am tempted. I will see. On another note, thank you kindly for the reviews. Anddddddddddd, pairing? Lemme know.

* * *

_**Caprice**_

**VII**

* * *

_Oh brother… _Kagome began thinking, but found herself unable to collect her scattered thoughts. _Where am I now?_

More than accustomed to ending up in weird places, the miko didn't find herself overly concerned right at that moment in time, though she supposed she ought to be. But this place… wherever she was, it was disconcertingly… modern. It was as if her two worlds had finally collided.

There were too many things to focus on. She felt small amidst the sea of youkai that circled the ring that she was centered in. It was loud – especially the girl on the microphone – but Kagome almost couldn't hear anything. Spying down, she noticed the translucent cloth pooled at her feet that was coming back to life in a swell of youki and memories of her newest bought of time travel. It rose and circled around her before it whisked away with shimmers of magic sparking in its wake, lifting her hair off of her shoulders. Watching it float through the air, her eyes followed it until they rested upon a figure that was mere yards away.

One who looked none too happy and was unsheathing his sword.

"It looks like Shishiwakamaru is ready to go for round two with the new and improved Kuwabara!" the impish looking girl announced suddenly, drawing the miko's uneasy attention, though she tried to keep one eye trained on the now identified apparition.

_Kuwabara…? _She wondered who that was and why everyone was mistaking her for them._ No… wait… I'm not—!_

"… oh, but wait, is that even allowed? We haven't technically started a new match and Kuwabara technically lost… Uh… Koto?"

"It's been an interesting turn of events, indeed, people! But I suppose that as long as the Committee and the fighters wish it, we can have a little bit of a rematch! We'll give Team Urameshi a few minutes to decide as it seems Shishiwakamaru has no qualms with taking on Kuwabara again! Just look at how blood-thirsty he looks! He positively wants his head!"

Shishiwakamaru swiped his sword through the air in a graceful infinity. "That won't be necessary. This will be over before he even gets to the edge of the ring… and I will have acquired another point to advance us into the finals."

Kagome's eyes nearly popped out of her head, her stomach dropping at lightspeed, and around her, murderous in her ears, cheers erupted.

He lunged.


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: Wow, you guys really seem to be enjoying this! I'm glad. Thank you so much for all of the feedback. This part is a little bit tricky, because it was a pretty pivotal point in the Dark Tournament with The Masked Fighter being unveiled as Genkai. I'm trying my best to keep it relatively close to the canon, and you'll notice that I borrowed one of Hiei's quotes straight out of Episode 48… so bear with me as I try to work out some of the kinks here in a way that's mine, but still works. And I know some of you want Kagome to kick some ass, too. On another note… I've got another plot-bunny nagging at me and I've already commenced writing, so here I'm going to reveal the summary for it… let me know if you're at all interested. It's a light-hearted Yusuke/Kagome. I probably shouldn't commit to another story, but it's what I do.

_Genkai thought she knew everything about her property, but apparently she didn't know about the priestess who's been asleep in a cave for 500 years and has now woken up… with barely any memories. And now Dimwit has shown up hoping for a weekend getaway. Couldn't an old woman ever get any peace?_

_**Caprice**_

**VIII**

Genkai – The Masked Fighter – as she had come to be known in her second time competing in the Dark Tournament, entered the stadium through the entrance that flanked Team Urameshi's side of the arena. She could see Kurama and Hiei on the outskirts of the ring, and surmised that Kuwabara was currently fighting.

Only—as she came to stand abreast the two apparitions, her eyes widening a fraction—

"Who is that?" she snapped, eyes never leaving the girl who stumbled out of the way of a vicious slash that was meant to take off her head. Kurama was appraising her strangely; she noticed his nose minutely twitch. _He can smell the change in my scent. No doubt Hiei can as well. _"What happened to Kuwabara?"

"We know it not to be true," Kurama replied ruefully, "however the consensus of the arena is that the girl _is _Kuwabara." His gaze flickered back to the fight, his jaw tensing as another strike was clumsily evaded. At this rate, her head would be rolling.

Having some semblance of a who, but no how or why, or what, left Genkai feeling a little out of the loop but she had to rally. "Allow me," she volunteered, stepping forward only to have Hiei cross into her path.

"And just who the hell are you?" he demanded, "I hope you don't expect me to believe that you're the same masked fighter who was on our team before… you imposter. She had tremendous power. You're a weakling."

"Now is not the time," Genkai returned crisply, pushing past him. "Somebody needs to intervene… or that girl is going to die."


End file.
